Cialbrachoa plant named ‘Kirifu-24’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Kirifu-24’ characterized by its outwardly spreading, mounding and trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; small pale lavender-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Kirifu-24’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa, botanically known as Calibrachoa hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Kirifu-24’.

The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Tochigi, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new uniform Calibrachoa cultivars with attractive flower coloration.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 2001 in Tochigi, Japan of the Calibrachoa pygmaea×Calibrachoa a parviflora cultivar Kirifu Compact Blue, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,134, as the female, or seed, parent with an unidentified property selection of Calibrachoa pygmaea, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Tochigi, Japan in September, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Tochigi, Japan since October, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Kirifu-24 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Kirifu-24’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Kirifu-24’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading, mounding and trailing plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Small pale lavender-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Kirifu Compact Blue. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants of the cultivar Kirifu Compact Blue in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are larger than plants of the         cultivar Kirifu Compact Blue.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants         of the cultivar Kirifu Compact Blue.     -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa flower earlier than plants of         the cultivar Kirifu Compact Blue.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more vigorous and larger         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more trailing than and not         as upright as plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have creamy white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Kirifu Blue, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,135. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Tochigi, Japan, plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Kirifu Blue differed primarily in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Calibrachoa, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Kirifu-24’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up of a typical flower stem and leaves of ‘Kirifu-24’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Santa Paula, Calif., under commercial practice during the spring in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 26° C., night temperatures averaged 12° C. and light levels ranged from 4,000 to 5,000 foot-candles. Plants had been growing for about three months when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa hybrida cultivar Kirifu-24. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Calibrachoa pygmaea×Calibrachoa             parviflora cultivar Kirifu Compact Blue, disclosed in U.S.             Plant Pat. No. 14,134.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified propriety selection of             Calibrachoa pygmaea, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three days at 27° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Outwardly spreading, mounding and             trailing plant habit. Freely branching with about 20 lateral             branches per plant. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 10 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 26 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 48 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2.5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly to decumbent.         -   Texture.—Pubescent; glandular.         -   Color.—146C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate, simple; after             flowering, opposite, simple; leaves sessile.         -   Length.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 4 mm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate to narrowly elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; glandular.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 147B.             Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 146A; venation, 146B.             Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 146B; venation, 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from upper leaf axils. Freely flowering habit with             usually about 80 to 90 flowers developing per lateral             branch. Flowers persistent. Flowers face upright or             outwardly. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calibrachoa             flower about nine weeks after planting. Long flowering             period; flowering commences naturally during the spring and             plants flower continuously until late autumn in Southern             California.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 1 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Tube diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Cylindrical. Length: About 1.2 cm.             Diameter: About 4 mm. Color: 90B.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 7 mm. Petal width: About 6 mm. Petal shape: Spatulate.             Petal apex: Cuspidate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color:             Petal, when opening, upper surface: 92B. Petal, when             opening, lower surface: 90A. Petal, fully opened, upper             surface: 91C; venation, 91B to 91C. Petal, fully opened,             lower surface: 90B; venation, 89C. Throat: 145C; venation,             145B. Tube: 145A; venation, 147B.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About 5             mm to 6 mm. Sepal width: About 1 mm. Sepal shape:             Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal base: Truncate. Sepal             margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 147B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm to 1.2 cm. Diameter: About             1 mm. Angle: Outwardly to curved upright. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: 145C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Five per             flower. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 1 mm.             Anther color: 145A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:             145A. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length:             About 6 mm. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color: 145D.             Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 146B. Ovary color:             145A. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on the plants of the new Calibrachoa. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not     been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to     Calibrachoa. 

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Kirifu-24’ as illustrated and described. 